The First Day of the Rest of Our Lives
by cofcgirl
Summary: “Hello,” Orion said, sticking out his hand to the giantlike man. “I’m Orion Black, prankster extraordinaire, vanquisher of all members of the House of Doom, otherwise known as Slytherin. My comptriots are Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and my sister Juliet
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Well, here's the sequel to Our Little Ones. This fic will focus mostly on Harry's, Orion's, and Juliet's years at Hogwarts, although Sirius and Remus will certainly be important figures. This is slash of course, and AU – though I will stay as true to the books as I can. Obviously, some things will have to change as Sirius never went to Azkaban, Peter never became a Death Eater, James and Lily never died, and Harry isn't famous. Oh, and I would definitely read Our Little Ones first, as this one starts off right where that fic left off. You should at least read chapter 12…

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Chapter One

Once the three of them had settled into their compartment, Harry leaned forward in his seat across from the twins and said, "So, did you bring the fireworks?"

"Of course," Orion said. "They're in my trunk. What about you?"

"Nope," Harry said with a shrug. "Mum caught dad sticking them in with my books, and made him get rid of them. Fortunately, she didn't see the dungbombs or the cloak."

"Excellent," Juliet said with a grin, as the train gave one last loud whistle before starting off with a great lurch. "Now, you guys do know what we've got to do once we get to school, right?"

"Find the Map," Harry stated, sounding excited at the prospect of being able to use the Marauder's Map to prank Slytherins.

"Yeah, I still can't believe our dads lost it!" Orion said, sounding indignant at the thought of such a travesty.

"I can't believe they never found it," Juliet responded. "And let's just hope that it hasn't fallen into the wrong hands. I mean, it's been missing for a long time, who knows who might have found it. It might not even be at school anymore."

"It's got to be there," Harry stated flatly. Before he could say anything else, however, the door to their compartment slid open, revealing a skinny red-haired boy with slightly shabby muggle clothes that didn't quite fit and dirt on his nose.

"Um, hi," the boy said nervously. "Can I sit here? Everywhere else is full…"

"Sure," Juliet said smiling brightly. "Come on in. Are you a first year, too?"

"Yeah," the redhead said, looking relieved as he pulled his trunk into the compartment. "Thanks," he muttered as Harry and Orion helped him load his trunk onto the luggage rack.

"No problem," Harry responded offering his hand to the other boy. "I'm Harry Potter, and these are my friends, Orion and Juliet Black."

"Ron Weasley," the boy said, shaking each of their hands in turn. "Nice to meet you lot."

There was a brief silence as the four of them settled into their seats, Ron sitting next to Harry. Juliet was the first to speak. "So, Ron, you said you're a Weasley, right? Is your dad Arthur Weasley?"

"Yeah," Ron said in surprise. "How'd you know?"

"Our Papa (A/N: I've decided that's what they'll call Sirius. It sounded less confusing than having Remus be 'Dad' and Sirius 'Daddy'.) works at the Ministry," Orion said, leaning back in his seat and stretching his legs. "We've heard him talk about your dad once or twice."

"Really? What does he do at the Ministry?" Ron asked. "My dad works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office – he's obsessed with Muggle things, and a lot of the people at the Ministry don't think much of him."

"Uncle Sirius – he's their Papa – and my dad are both Aurors," Harry said. "They both like your dad a lot."

"Aurors?" Ron asked. "Wow, that must be awesome. Certainly sounds better than having a dad who's crazy for Muggle stuff."

"It's okay," Juliet said with a shrug. "It's not as though we get to go looking for dark wizards with them, or anything."

"So," Orion said after a brief pause in the conversation. "What house do you think you'll be in, Ron?"

Ron answered with a slightly dispirited shrug. "My whole family's been in Gryffindor, so that's what I'm hoping for. Ravenclaw wouldn't be so bad, I guess, but I'm not likely to get in there – I hate reading. What about you three?"

"Could be anything for me, I guess," Harry said with a careless shrug of his own. "Both my parents were in Gryffindor, but my dad's father and older brother were both Ravenclaws, and my grandmum was a Hufflepuff. I'll probably be in Gryffindor, though."

"Yeah, but family history doesn't really have anything to do with you house, does it?" Juliet said. "I mean, both our parents were Gryffindors as well, but our Papa's entire family was a bunch of Slytherins before he and his cousin Andromeda came along."

"How did your grandparents take him being in Slytherin?" Ron asked.

Orion snorted in derision. "He was the shame of the family. They were a bunch of rich pureblood maniacs, who loved the dark arts, and they couldn't stand the fact that Papa was nothing like them. Unfortunately for them, he's the first born in the family, and they couldn't just toss him out. He ran away eventually, though, so-"

Just them, the door to their compartment opened yet again, this time revealing a skinny blonde boy with a pale pointed face and two other boys who looked to be roughly the size of small boulders. All three were wearing rather expensive robes and the blonde was sneering haughtily at the four of them. He took in the state of Ron's clothes, and smirked at Harry, Orion, and Juliet's muggle outfits as well before saying, "Well, well, look what we have here. A bunch of mudblood riffraff."

At that, all four of them shot out of there seats, pulling out their wands – though they didn't know any spells yet. "First of all, you little pin-headed dungheap," Juliet said with a sneer of her own. "We are not 'mudbloods', and I wouldn't go around calling people that if I were you – most civilized people find that offensive."

The blonde snorted. "Well, you're not me. And if you aren't mudbloods, then what are your names?"

"Harry Potter," Harry said, glaring angrily at the boy.

"Orion Black," Orion said, glancing warily at the open door of the compartment. It wouldn't look to good for a Prefect to come walking by and see them about to fight. Even he didn't want to get a detention before school even started.

"Ron Weasley," Ron stated.

"Juliet Black," Juliet said reluctantly. "Now that you know our names, would you mind telling us yours before getting out of our compartment?"

"Draco Malfoy," the blonde responded disdainfully. He indicated the two hulks behind him, seeing Juliet glance at them. "And these are my associates, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. I should have known that if you weren't a bunch of mudbloods, you'd be worthless bloodtraitors."

Ron and Orion both jumped at Malfoy for that comment, but Harry and Juliet grabbed the backs of their shirts, holding them back. "Shut up, you little twerp," Juliet said with a scowl. "You don't want to go picking a fight with us – you're outnumbered four to three, so please get out."

Malfoy sneered at them, "Like you could do anything to us. I bet you don't even know any magic yet."

"Are you going to take that risk?" Orion asked. Then he glanced back at the door, and saw another red-haired boy who looked to be about fifteen standing just outside, talking to a girl who seemed to be his age. What really drew Orion's attention, however, was the Gryffindor tie and Prefect badge the boy sported. "Besides, one of the Gryffindor Prefects is standing right outside. We might not know magic, but he certainly will – and he'll be able to put you in detention on your very first night here."

"Yeah," Harry said, glancing at the door as well. "Do you know what they make first years do in detention? They make you go into the Forbidden Forest and fight all the creatures that live there – just to see if you can really hack it here."

"They do not, that's illegal!" Draco said. But he began backing out of the compartment nonetheless.

"So is stringing kids up by their ankles from the ceiling, but my dad told me the groundskeeper did that to him loads of times," Juliet said with a smirk. "And you don't get out of detentions, either, so no trying to get your parents to make them let you off."

"My dad can do anything he wants," Malfoy said with what he evidently thought was a menacing growl, but it came out as nothing more than a piteous whine. "If I tell him that a bunch of bloodtraitors ganged up on me, he'll get me out of trouble. No one puts Draco Malfoy in detention."

Before any of them could respond to that, Malfoy stalked out of the compartment with Crabbe and Goyle following along behind him.

Juliet walked over and shut the door, before turning back to the others. Harry, Ron, and Orion had resumed their seats, but Juliet said to them, "What's the bet he gets put in Slytherin?"

"No doubt about it," Ron said with a snort. "My dad's talked about the Malfoys at home – nothing but a bunch of snobby, dark magic maniacs."

"We know," Orion said as Juliet sat down beside him, her sandy-blonde hair falling out of its ponytail. "Papa's tried to get something on them lots of times, but they always manage to worm their way out of trouble. I can't believe we're related to them."

"You're related to the Malfoys?" Ron asked in shock.

Juliet nodded disgustedly. "Unfortunately. Our Papa's cousin, Narcissa, is married to Lucius Malfoy. She's dear old Draco's mother, which makes him oursecond cousin. Ugly git."

Just as Harry opened his mouth to say something, the door slid open once more. He and Orion both reached for their wands, but relaxed when they saw that it wasn't Malfoy standing there. Instead, it was a girl around their age with long bushy hair and rather large front teeth. She was already wearing her robes, and next to her was a slightly plump boy nervously glancing between the four of them as if he thought they might attack him.

"Hello," the girl said, striding purposefully into their compartment. "I'm Hermione Granger and this is Neville Longbottom. He's lost his toad named Trevor, and we were wondering if you'd seen him."

"Sorry, no," Juliet answered, smiling at the two of them. "My name's Juliet Black, this is my brother Orion, and these are our friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley."

"Nice to meet you," Neville said nervously.

A/N: I realized after I first posted thischapter that it ended kind of abruptly, so I decided to add a bit more to it. I also realize that everything that happened in this chapter isn't exactlyin the same order as it wasin the Sorceror's Stone, but oh well.Anyway, as I said last time I posted this chapter,this is the part where you tell me how much you like (or hate) my fic. But no flames please.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: For those of you who read Chapter One when I originally posted it, please go back and re-read it. I have added a bit more to it. Now, enjoy!

Chapter Two

The rest of the train ride passed in relative peace, with Ron regaling Harry, Juliet, and Orion with tales about his family. Neville and Hermione had left the compartment after a brief conversation, as Neville needed to find his toad. They'd changed into their school robes after the lady with the food cart had stopped by – Juliet had been forced to ask the Hufflepuff prefect where the bathrooms where so she could change.

The train finally began to slow to a stop, just as Ron finished telling the others why his older brother Percy was terrified of butterflies. He neglected to mention his own fear of spiders, but really it was perfectly reasonable for him to have a fear of spiders – no one would react well to having their teddy bear transform into a spider. Percy, on the other hand, was a pansy.

"Wow," Orion gasped between laughs. He was clutching his sides and seemed to be having trouble breathing. "I can't believe they did that! Fred and George sound awesome!"

"Yeah," Harry agreed, grinning. "They actually managed to make Percy believe that he was going to be eaten by _butterflies!_ That was pure genius."

Ron snorted as they stood up to leave the compartment. "You say that now; just wait until they start pulling pranks on us."

Juliet smiled as they made their way outside and said, "Trust me Ron, no one pulls pranks on us without getting what they deserve. We're the best after all."

"And we've got one or two secret weapons," Harry added, stepping down onto the platform amidst a see of students.

Before Ron could ask what he was talking about, the heard a loud, booming voice calling, "Firs' years! Firs' years, over here!"

As one, the four first years turned towards the voice at the end of the platform. "Whoa!" Ron exclaimed in awe as they approached a man who was roughly the size of a small boulder. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair. Most of the other first years seemed to agree with Ron's assessment of the man, and were gaping at him. Juliet and Orion glanced at each other, grinning, as they came to a stop in front of the man.

"Hello," Orion said, sticking out his hand for the giant-like man to shake. "I'm Orion Black, prankster extraordinaire, future member of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and vanquisher of all slimy, blonde haired Slytherin idiots who shall remain nameless until later tonight when they're sorted into the House of Doom. These, of course, are my compatriots and fellow pranksters, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and my sister, Juliet. "

Harry and Ron both burst out laughing as the man shook Orion's hand with enough force to break a few bones, before experiencing the same. Juliet managed to avoid having her own hand shaken by the man by giving a small and somewhat awkward curtsy. He grinned as he said, "Well, it's nice to meet yer lot. I'm Hagrid – Grounds Keeper and Keeper of the Keys at Hogwarts. I'll tell ye more about myself later – I've got to get all o' yer to school, now."

With that, Hagrid turned, saying, "C'mon, follow me – anymore firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years, follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Juliet knew there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!" from most of the students. The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. Despite this amazing sight, Juliet could have sworn she'd heard someone behind her snort in derision. She turned around to find herself once again face-to-face with Draco Malfoy just as he muttered, "Durmstrang's much better."

"Then why don't you do us all a favor and go there?" Juliet sneered.

Before Malfoy had a chance to respond, Hagrid shouted, "No more'n four to a boat!"

Juliet whirled back around to see him pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Ron, and Orion had already claimed one and were waiting for her to join them. She climbed in after them and settled into the spot next to Ron just as Hagrid called from his own boat, "Everyone in? Right then – FORWARD!"

And the little fleet of boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville, holding out his hands. Then they climbed up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto a smooth, damp grass in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. Everyone waited with baited breath as Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked on the door.

The door swung open to reveal a tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes. She had a very stern face, and Juliet knew she wasn't someone to cross – unless, of course, you were a Marauder. Orion leaned towards her and Harry, whispering, "Bet that's McGonagall."

"Who else would it be?" Harry murmured. "From what our parents have said, no one else could possibly look that strict."

Just then Hagrid said, "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."

McGonagall, who apparently hadn't heard the two boys talking, responded, "Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

Professor McGonagall pulled the door open wide, revealing an enormous entrance hall. The stone walls were lit with torches that flickered in the breeze, the ceiling seemed to extend forever, and there was a magnificent marble staircase leading to the upper floors.

The new first years follow Professor McGonagall across the stone floor. Hundreds of voices could be heard coming from a doorway to the right, but showed them into an empty chamber off the main hall. They crowded together, fidgeting nervously (Orion 'accidentally' trod on Malfoy's foot as he hopped around in a very excited manner.).

McGonagall glared at him before saying, "Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

The Professor turned to leave before adding, "The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

Juliet noticed most of the others glancing around nervously, everyone apparently wondering how they would be sorted. She nearly laughed out loud when she heard Ron tell Harry that his brother Fred had told him they had to fight a troll. "Really, Ron," she said with a slight chuckle, "why do you listen to them? I've never even met them, and I can tell your brothers aren't ones to be trusted."

"Yeah," Orion agreed. "There's no way they'd make us fight trolls on the first night – like we told Malfoy, they save that for those of us who get detentions."

Harry nodded seriously saying, "Exactly. Of course, having to subdue a dragon won't be much better, but at least they don't stink."

Juliet heard a loud thump behind her, and held in a chuckle when she turned around to see that the Longbottom boy, Neville, had feinted. The others around them were laughing as Orion bent down and shook him. "Oy, Neville!" He said, jiggling the boy's shoulder. "C'mon, mate, get up!"

Neville came around just as Professor McGonagall returned to the chamber. He blushed crimson when he realized he'd passed out. Everyone soon forgot about him and began fidgeting nervously when McGonagall told them to form a line and follow her.

Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron, Orion, and Juliet lined up behind him. They all walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through the pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

The Hall was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the Hall was another long table where the teachers where sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns flickering in the candle-light. Juliet looked up and gasped at the sight of the ceiling. She'd read _Hogwarts, A History_ – she'd known the ceiling was bewitched to look like the sky, but she still found it astounding.

Juliet glanced around and saw that everyone's attention was currently focused on a patched and frayed wizard's hat, which was perched on a four-legged stool in front of the first years. Juliet smiled. She and Orion both knew what was coming. Their Papa had let them in on the secret of the sorting hat a few days ago, without Dad's knowledge. Even Harry didn't know what was about to happen, as they'd been sworn to secrecy – if they'd told him, they wouldn't have been allowed to take the fireworks to school. Juliet didn't know how Papa would have known if they'd told Harry, but neither she nor Orion had been willing to take the risk of him finding out. She and Orion were the only first years who didn't jump in shock when the hat opened it's – er – mouth, and began to sing.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you should be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff, _

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The entire hall burst into thunderous applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables before becoming still once more. Juliet smiled when she saw that even Harry seemed relieved, though he'd known that they wouldn't have to do anything terrible.

Everyone in the hall fell quiet once again as McGonagall stepped forward holding a large roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink faced girl with pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right over her eyes, and sat down. There was a moment's pause before the hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Juliet noticed for the first time a squat, transparent man sitting at the Hufflepuff table who seemed to be dressed like a monk. She recognized him immediately from what her parents had told her about the Hogwarts ghosts – he was the Fat Friar, resident Hufflepuff house ghost. Just as she began searching for the ghost who might fit Dad's description of Nearly Headless Nick, Juliet heard Professor McGonagall call out, "Black, Juliet!"

Juliet jumped at the sound of her name before making her way to the stool. Orion, Ron, and Harry all wished her good luck. She swallowed nervously, feeling the blood drain from her face as she picked up the hat and dropped it on her head. Though Juliet had known all about the Sorting Ceremony, she nearly fell off the stool when she heard a voice in her ear.

"So, a Black, hm? This'll be quite difficult…"

A/N: Well, that's the end of another chapter. You'll probably all notice that a large part of this chapter came pretty much directly from _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_…terribly sorry about that, but I just couldn't think of a better way to do it. I'll try not to do that too often in the future. Anyway, I hope ya'll have enjoyed this so far, and would greatly appreciate any feedback.


End file.
